Mike D'Antoni raves about Carmelo Anthony as a Rockets closer

Houston Rockets' Carmelo Anthony watches play from the baseline during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Houston Rockets' Carmelo Anthony watches play from the baseline during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren

Houston Rockets' Carmelo Anthony watches play from the baseline during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Houston Rockets' Carmelo Anthony watches play from the baseline during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren

With Carmelo Anthony's first game coming off the Rockets bench, Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni also got his first look at Anthony as a closer with Anthony returning to the floor in the fourth quarter in a lineup with James Harden, Chris Paul, Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker, and providing a scoring jolt.

Anthony put in a 3-pointer less than a minute after returning to the floor, before adding a pair of mid-range jumpers and another 3. Before anyone could say that the Rockets frown on two of those shots, much less have Anthony again feign an apology for shooting inside the 3-point arc, D'Antoni said Anthony showed what he has in mind for his newest star scorer.

"He's going to be perfect," D'Antoni said. "James and Chris don't have to carry the load. He can make plays. His game, too, toward the end of games, mid-range, post-ups are good. We don't want to do it most of the game because 3s are better throughout the game, but when it comes down to one point, two points, three points, whatever, it gives us another big option."

With that, the greenlight D'Antoni offers to launch 3s could also apply to Anthony's shots in the part of the games when any points will do.